


Redemption or Resurrection?

by NightsWatch_Chef



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Bayley is mostly the main character, Baysha is dying, Charlynch featured, F/F, Friendship, Mental Health Awareness, Romance, Sex, Some Cursing, Some Humor, acute stress, baysha, other wrestlers as minor characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:01:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24357733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightsWatch_Chef/pseuds/NightsWatch_Chef
Summary: Bayley is the longest reigning Smackdown Women’s Champion and the first Women’s Grand Slam Champion. She has handled fame poorly though and her best friend, Sasha Banks, finds her antics tiresome. A night of debauchery destroys their friendship, and the Boss ’N Hug Connection / "Boss ’N Thug" are officially dead. Can they rekindle their friendship or could they ever become what they were truly meant to be? Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch are there to faithfully help them on this path, wherever it leads. Timeline is after Money in the Bank, May 2020.
Relationships: Charlotte/Becky Lynch | Rebecca Knox, Sasha Banks/Bayley | Davina Rose
Comments: 30
Kudos: 87





	1. Mamacita

**Author's Note:**

> No financial or legal relationship to WWE, the personalities or wrestling gimmicks found in this story. I am merely contributing to the #Baysha slow burn.

Boisterous, bass-heavy rap music boomed through the door of the tour bus. Sasha Banks grinned as she entered, but halted, staring aghast at the ridiculous scene. It disturbed her that even Charlotte Flair was giggling in the corner with her hand over her mouth. Many topless women were intermixed in the small crowd of wrestlers in Sasha’s bus. Naomi and Carmella compared dance moves with one woman, who wore such a thin, black thong that she was essentially naked. Seth Rollins chuckled into the beer at his lips, as he observed a stripper use a standing, stoic Murphy as a stripper pole. Murphy’s blank face was as red as his beard. Becky Lynch danced gregariously with another woman in front of Charlotte, and they both attempted to give a giggling Charlotte a lap dance. King Corbin’s crown sat lopsided atop the head of one of the three women who surrounded him, he waved his scepter merrily in the air as he cheered raucously.

Sasha’s eyes fell upon her best friend, and fury rose so quickly into her vision that she thought her eye sight became unfocused. Bayley danced in the center of the storm. Scandalous and rowdy. She was sandwiched between two women who both had very large, round and very exposed breasts. She had a hand on each of their hips, gyrating between the two women. The women were thoroughly enjoying themselves with the Smackdown Women’s Champion, their hands rubbed along Bayley’s arms and back.

“Mamacita! Come join us!” sang Bayley when she noticed Sasha at the doorway. Bayley had invited strippers, again, and Sasha discussed with her previously not to do this.

Sasha slowly stepped further into the scene, leaving the tour bus door open behind her. The vapor of cheap perfume permeated through the main cabin of the bus, while the rap music filtered out of the open door and into the night air. The woman who danced with Naomi and Carmella turned around, and faced Sasha. She lifted a hand, using a manicured nail to draw a lazy circle on Sasha’s well defined shoulder.

“I’ll take care of you, Boss, have a seat,” the blonde said seductively into Sasha’s ear.

Sasha smiled stiffly and stepped back. “Thanks sweetheart, but no thanks.”

The blonde huffed a bit and then turned back to her fawning audience of Naomi and Carmella. They resumed their dancing as Sasha sauntered past them.

“This is fucking awesome! I need to hang out with the Role Model all the time!” shouted King Corbin, as he high-fived Bayley.

“Dude, I got these bitches lined up around the block to see me! And plenty to share, right ladies?!” Bayley swayed as she screamed, but well supported by her strippers who flanked her. They nodded fervently at Bayley and Corbin, agreeing with their Role Model’s generosity.

Sasha gritted her teeth at this exchange. She glanced around, to see how she could gain everyone’s attention. She attempted to make eye contact with Becky or Charlotte, but failed. They were absorbed in a clothed threesome.

“Everybody out!” she shrieked into the stifling air of the cabin, but her angry voice was drowned out by competing chatter and bass. No one acknowledged that they heard, everyone was still engrossed in their own private lap dances or conversations. Sasha gazed at a nearby end-table and noticed that Bayley’s phone was acting as a DJ - the current song playing was displayed on the screen. Sasha attempted to push past Becky and the double lap dance brigade.

“Oy! Watch it, Sash!” Becky yelled, as Sasha elbowed her. Becky briefly lost her footing, collapsing onto a chuckling Charlotte and the stripper on her lap. Becky then tugged on Sasha’s dress, causing Sasha to topple onto this crowd.

“Becky!” Sasha shouted angrily, glaring at the Irish woman. She was then caught in a sloppy hug by multiple arms, and there was a massive amount of giggling again from Becky, Charlotte and the stripper. Sasha struggled to free herself from this threesome / foursome, grabbing the arm rest of the leather couch to escape and pull herself to safety. She was still too far from Bayley’s phone, because the next group in her way was Bayley, Corbin, and their harem of naked women. The control system for the speakers and subwoofers that lined the ceiling of the bus was close by though. Sasha crouched down, found the main cord and pulled. Suddenly, the music stopped and the only noises in the bus were the shouting, singing, laughter, and Bayley smacking a stripper’s bottom.

“What the fuck is going on with this phone?” screamed Bayley, and reached out for her phone between the strippers who flanked her. She staggered as she squeezed around them, and she slurred her words, alcohol heavy in her tone.

“I shut off the music. Everyone get out!” boomed Sasha, who was suddenly standing in front of Bayley. Bayley appeared affronted and staggered backwards, into the safety of the surrounding strippers.

“Boss!” whined Corbin, stamping down his foot, “But why? We were just getting started!”

She shot him a warning look, a look that several people in the bus knew very, very well.

Seth and Murphy were the first to scurry to the exit of the bus.

“We had a good time, thanks Sasha and Bayley,” said Seth hurriedly by the doorway before he disappeared.

Naomi and Carmella politely excused themselves from their dance partner, and waved their goodbyes to everyone. Sasha could hear them singing and laughing outside as they left. Corbin quickly scooped up his crown, scepter, and robes.

“Boss. Role Model,” he nodded to them respectively but too fearful to make eye contact with a furious Sasha.

“You know where to find me ladies, see you in my DMs!” he called to the strippers, as he too exited.

Becky scowled at the thinning crowd and folded her arms. She exchanged a look with Charlotte, who looked quite entertained on the contrary.

“Let’s go, Becks. I didn’t drink so I can drive. Bye girls!” said Charlotte as she rose to her feet. Charlotte had no patience for an angry Sasha, or an argument created by Becky. She held Becky’s hand, tugging her out of the bus as they both waved at everyone. Becky could be heard drunkenly shouting incoherent things outside of the bus, some swears intermixed in the tirade. Charlotte’s laughter was still audible outside though as their voices grew softer.

The strippers picked up their clothes and started to file out, saying their goodbyes to Sasha and each woman kissed Bayley on the cheek before they left. Bayley followed them outside, looking morose.

“Ladies, you know where to find me too. I’m on Twitter and Instagram,” Bayley called to them.

The blonde who offered to dance with Sasha, looked back at Bayley with a grin. “We know, baby. See you later, Champ.”

Bayley winked at her, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. She stepped back into the bus and shut the door, locking it with a sigh. Bayley found Sasha still inside, a trash bag in hand as she was picking up bottles left on the tables.

“Let me do that, you go relax,” said Bayley, taking the bag from Sasha.

Sasha allowed Bayley to take the bag. She stared at Bayley, her expression an amalgam of fury, sadness, and frustration. Their dark brown eyes met, and Bayley smiled sheepishly then looked down at the plastic bag.

“I told you. No more strippers. Why is that hard to understand?” Sasha stated simply, her voice a forced calm.

“I’ve only invited them a few times. Everyone was having fun. I was celebrating my win tonight,” retorted Bayley, confusion in her tone. Tonight, Bayley successfully defended her title at the Money in the Bank PPV against Tamina. Bayley’s success was largely due to Sasha’s interference in the match though.

At Bayley’s words, Sasha sighed slowly and then turned away to walk to her room. Sasha’s tour bus was very spacious, with a main cabin, kitchen area, two bathrooms, and a bedroom. Sasha and Bayley shared the room and the bed when they traveled together. Bayley watched Sasha walk away, still wondering what happened as she threw alcohol bottles into the trash bag.

Later that evening, after Bayley cleaned the main cabin area, she showered and changed into comfortable clothes. She wore a black sports bra and colorful pajama pants as she entered the room. Sasha was sitting in bed, a pillow supported her back. She was also clad in purple pajamas as well as glasses, her phone in her hands and she did not look up when Bayley entered. Bayley plopped into bed next to her, grinning as she reached out to rub Sasha’s thigh.

“Don’t.” The words were curt and harsh, and the tone was dangerous. Sasha still did not look up from her phone.

“Why’d you have to be a c-block tonight, Boss?” joked Bayley, hoping that this would lighten the mood. She was perplexed by Sasha’s coldness.

Sasha stiffened and then finally looked away from her phone. She gazed stonily at Bayley’s smiling face.

“So, you fuck strippers?”

Bayley’s smile broke. She frowned a little, adjusting herself to sit up so that Sasha was no longer gazing down at her.

“No… it was a joke.”

“It’s not funny, Bayley. I’m really getting tired of this.” Sasha’s tone was no longer cold and flat, but now anger seemed to be building with each syllable, and frustration seeped among the vowels.

“Of what? Of me winning and having fun?”

These questions seemed innocuous at first but were definitely the wrong things to say at this moment. Sasha slammed her phone down on the night stand, and she stood up abruptly. Rage blazed in her deep brown eyes, her fists were clenched at her sides.

“Do I really have to explain this to you?! Are you that dumb?! And you can’t even win without me. Some type of champion you are, Bayley!” shouted Sasha, her voice ringing in the room.

“What…? What’s up, dude?” Bayley asked innocently, she straightened up a bit and stared at her best friend curiously.

“Oh, I don’t know… everything! I’m tired of your attitude and the partying. I’m tired of helping you and you don’t even appreciate me. In return, you just bring a bunch of naked whores into MY tour bus,” growled Sasha viciously.

“Hey, girl. Those women were for you too. You said we should celebrate the win any way I want!” protested Bayley. She stared desperately at Sasha, hoping that she could get through to her. It wasn’t working, Sasha fingers reached up to her right temple at these words. She slowly rubbed her temple and sighed with resignation.

“I can’t do this anymore. I need you to leave.” Her voice was unusually calm now.

Bayley’s mouth opened, she stared perplexed at Sasha. “You’re joking… Tell me what’s really going on.”

“I mean it, Bayley. Leave!” snapped Sasha, and she folded her arms to signal finality.

“Sasha, what the f—”

Sasha growled again and interrupted Bayley’s words. She stomped over to their bags, and picked up Bayley’s - then tossed it at Bayley who caught it with surprise. “Out!”

* * *

Bayley sat outside on the curb, Sasha’s tour bus was about a block away and the bedroom light was still on. She was wearing a yellow windbreaker over her sports bra and pajamas. Her championship belt sat on top of her bag, the metal and jewels shined brightly in the street lights. She felt dejected and confused. She was deeply concerned about Sasha’s behavior, and in her mind, there was no explanation to this outburst. A part of her was angry as well, how dare Sasha say those things? The conjectures created in the argument were puzzling, she always thought Sasha was happy with her success - with THEIR success. She glanced at her championship belt with the black custom side plates that proudly displayed “BAYLEY” in bold block letters, she believed that belt to belong to Sasha as much as it belonged to her. She scrolled through her phone, wondering about her options. Her thumb found the contact she wanted and she called.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Charlotte Flair’s stern voice greeted her ears.

“Hi to you too. Could I crash at your place tonight?” asked Bayley, trying to keep her voice light.

“Who th’ fuck’s that?” murmured Becky’s sleepy voice in the background.

“Take a wild guess, dear,” whispered Charlotte sarcastically to Becky.

“So is that a yes or a no?” questioned Bayley who attempted to inject humor into her voice, she was getting nervous. There was a lengthy pause after her question.

Finally, Charlotte laughed.

“Sure Bayls, why not,” bemused Charlotte, “Are you coming over now?”

“Um, could you pick me up? I drank a lot tonight….” Redness was creeping along Bayley’s neck. This would not go over well.

“Lass, we’re too drunk to do anything right now,” Becky shouted into the phone over Charlotte’s gales of laughter. Bayley sighed. The laughter subsided and then there was a sigh from Charlotte as well, there was also a soft snore in the background so Becky must have drifted back to sleep.

“Where should I pick you up?” groaned Charlotte.

* * *

Bayley had difficulty believing that Charlotte woke from sleep to pick her up in a red Mercedes-Benz. Charlotte looked like she was ready for a Victoria’s Secret photo shoot: she looked simply magnanimous in her pale, pink silk robe, and her hair and makeup were impeccable. Bayley looked at her uneasily as she sat down in the car, her bag was in the trunk and the Smackdown belt in her lap.

“Hey dude, thanks. Did you really just wake up like that?” She asked uncertainly and slightly amused.

“Let’s just go,” Charlotte said with a tired laugh. Her tone was definitely sleepy.

They sat in silence during the smooth ride on the highway. There were no other cars on the road, but Charlotte was closely occupied in the act of driving due to fatigue. Charlotte glanced briefly over at Bayley and noticed that the other woman’s visage was glued to her phone. She saw miles and miles of blue texts on Bayley’s iPhone.

“Sasha’s not responding,” stated Charlotte, and this was definitely more of a statement than a question.

Bayley looked up and sighed, her eyes gazed out into the Florida highway. “How’d you know I was texting her?”

“Really now? We’re going to play a game of pretend, huh?” Charlotte’s tired voice mustered another chuckle, “So did she kick you out so she could hook up with a stripper?”

“Nah, dude. I think she’s tired and wanted some time alone,” Bayley said with a shrug. Bayley understood Charlotte’s perceptive nature and hoped that this answer would suffice for now. She looked hopefully down at her phone again, praying that a notification from Sasha would appear. She clutched the cold metal of the belt, pondering.

Charlotte hummed quietly in acknowledgement of Bayley’s words, her eyes fixed on the road. She was too exhausted to engage in anything else and they were close to the home that she shared with her wife, Becky.

* * *

Bayley set her bag down on the plush bench at the foot of the queen bed, and she tossed the heavy belt on one side of the bed. She briefly hugged a sleepy Charlotte who had led her to the guest room, and murmured her appreciation for her friends. When Charlotte left the room, she slid out of her windbreaker and threw it onto her bag before collapsing into bed. She checked her phone again, 2:07AM and her iMessage thread with Sasha was still completely blue. She had sent many texts to her best friend, at first explaining her actions tonight, then asking several times what the problem was, and finally issuing a lengthy and somewhat rambling apology. Sasha had never ignored her texts before. Bayley texted Sasha good night finally, and pressed her face into the pillow as hot tears filled her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Let me know your feedback.


	2. Foolish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from Ashanti's "Foolish" are at the beginning and the end of the chapter.
> 
> I hope you are all safe and healthy! Happy Pride Month. Black Lives Matter.

_I trusted you, I trusted you / So sad, so sad what love will make you do_

_All the things that we accept / Be the things that we regret_

Bayley woke slowly, she thought she heard noises in her groggy state. Her face was stuck to cold, gold metal and rock hard jewels. She was hugging her championship belt but it felt foreign in her arms. She peeled her face away from the metal and shifted onto her back, staring up at the cream colored ceiling. She usually woke to warm contact with beautiful, caramel skin, and long, blue hair draped over her arms or chest. Her best friend’s body was often tangled among her own limbs, and they were always fully clothed but electricity pulsed through her nervous system when some exposed skin would touch her. Bayley paused, expelling these perseverations out of her tired mind to focus on the present. She remembered that she angered Sasha last night and now she was lying alone in a guest bed at Charlotte and Becky’s house.

She picked up her phone next to the pillow. The wallpaper was a photo of her embracing her best friend before the MITB PPV; Bayley was in maroon wrestling gear and Sasha wore a red, leather body suit, and they had matching pink eye shadow. No new notifications on the phone. 9:00AM. Bayley’s eyes shot up back at the ceiling because she heard distant, muffled noises again. She was still too groggy to discern what these sounds were, and in this altered state, she called Sasha yet again. For what felt like the 10th time.

* * *

Charlotte no longer held back. In the beginning, she was politely stifling her moans to protect their unexpected guest from last night, but now it was impossible. She gripped the nape of her wife’s neck, her nails digging into the soft skin. Loud whines escaped her lips, her vocal cords on fire.

Becky alternated kissing and sucking on Charlotte’s throat in a passionate frenzy as she quickened her pace while thrusting. Charlotte’s hips and legs enveloped her mid-section, as Becky skillfully worked her fingers in the wet warmth of her wife. Charlotte’s hands traveled down Becky’s neck and to her back, fingertips rubbing deep circles as she was close to her second climax of that morning.

“Don’t hold back, love, it’s OK,” Becky said huskily with a toothy grin as Charlotte moaned in her ear.

* * *

“Sorry to bother you, Sasha. I’m just thinking about you,” Bayley texted after hanging up since the phone call went to voicemail. Sasha’s voicemail was unfortunately full now because Bayley had left a few voice messages on the phone last night. She stared solemnly at their iMessage thread, all the texts were still blue from the many messages she sent to Sasha in the past 8 hours or so. Sasha never answered.

The phone battery was low. Bayley racked her brain, she was tired and could not think clearly with the lovemaking sounds of the married couple in the background. She thought about what happened and she could not fathom why Sasha would suddenly cut off contact with her. Sasha loved their celebratory parties, or "Bayley-brations" as they called them, and she did tell Bayley in a prior party that they should not be inviting strippers into the bus but Sasha said this with a laugh after a lap dance. She thought it was a jest. Bayley’s memories replayed the celebration after her Wrestlemania win: Sasha was seated on plush leather and a stripper straddled her, dancing rhythmically in her lap while Bayley stood nearby to sprinkle cash over them. Sasha was nodding and smiling during this entire ordeal, so what was the problem last night? Bayley rarely saw Sasha this livid in recent times.

Bayley remembered the MITB qualifying match and their last tag team contest. Sasha was upset after these incidents but she seemed to recover quickly. She was a loyal friend. She declared the other day that she would always be loyal to Bayley. Maybe a couple years ago, Bayley would not have believed this proclamation from the “backstabber,” Sasha Banks, but everything has changed. Sasha and Bayley both evolved as wrestlers and as best friends, they reached the pinnacle of their careers. And at the top of this mountain, Bayley was the most dominant Smackdown Women’s Champion in history and she was the only Women’s Grand Slam Champion. And Sasha was her best friend who faithfully stood by her side at this summit.

She thought back to their recent matches. She helped Sasha at the MITB qualifier against Lacey Evans and she felt unnecessarily blamed for Sasha’s downfall. _The referee was too slow to the count_ , she thought irritably. But, the many couch-bound critics who prowl social media proceeded with the rhetoric that Bayley’s interference cost Sasha the match and ultimately prevented her from participating in the MITB ladder match. The rumor mill circulated that Bayley did not want Sasha to have a chance at the briefcase, because if Sasha won the briefcase then she would pose a threat to Bayley’s championship reign. Bayley scoffed at this notion as well, it’s not as if she was the only champion in their domain; Sasha could have challenged Becky or Charlotte, and she would certainly not be challenging her best friend. _It’s all in good competition anyways, the sheep just don’t understand_ , mused Bayley.

She concluded that the foundation of their friendship was possibly threatened at many angles. The poison on social media may play a role but she also found it difficult to believe that The Boss would listen to the opinion of mindless sheep. Maybe it was the losses to Lacey and Tamina? Maybe because she volunteered Sasha to be in a match originally with the formidable Tamina? Hell, maybe it was the current singles losing streak that Sasha suffered since November. And how was that Bayley’s fault? Maybe it was jealousy? Maybe Bayley achieved too many accomplishments. _And Sasha’s championship reigns have been lackluster._ Maybe it was not the partying and the strippers at all. Maybe it had nothing to do with Bayley, maybe Sasha was disappointed in herself for whatever reason and decided to take this internal wrath out on her best friend.

Bayley smoothed down her short, black hair with a sweaty palm. She pushed a puff of air out of her mouth, sighing as she gazed up at the ceiling and swam within the pools of thought that she often avoided. She contemplated their last tag team effort. She sat defeated next to Sasha on the ground, leaning against the padded barricade ringside, clutching her blue belt while rubbing her bruised jaw and neck. Sasha rested her elbow on a bent knee, she too rubbed her chin and gazed up in the ring, nodding in resentment at the two victorious women who leered at them. Bayley had glanced sideways at Sasha, and knew she was not happy in more ways than one. She refused to look in Bayley’s direction. They would usually touch after these losses, physically supporting each other out of the ring. Bayley yearned for her touch.

She could not deny her feelings for Sasha, and sometimes these feelings —

Bayley’s thoughts halted once again, the sounds seemed to be louder and in a different location.

* * *

Becky and Charlotte traveled from the bed and into the shower. The swirling water and heat in the shower felt like a pleasant hurricane. The warm water hammered around them, but it did little to muffle their noises. Charlotte initially had dropped to her knees on the tiled floor to please Becky, but now Charlotte’s back was pressed against the tiled wall and it was her turn for gratification. Charlotte’s right knee was bent, and her foot propped on the side of the tub adjacent to the wall that supported her. She was concerned she would lose her balance, one hand vainly gripped the slippery wall of the shower while her other hand clutched silky red hair. Becky’s eager lips and tongue were between her thighs, and her body writhed uncontrollably as she had her fourth orgasm of the morning.

* * *

Bayley heard a quick, determined knocking on the door and she awoke from her dozing state. She drifted into a half-sleep after the sounds of lovemaking had mysteriously disappeared and the torture of her own thoughts became overwhelming. She swiftly turned on her left side, facing away from the door.

“Come in,” she groaned, and the weakness of her voice surprised her.

The door opened abruptly, and without looking, Bayley knew that the energetic footsteps belonged to Becky Lynch. Becky sat on the bench at the foot of the bed, next to Bayley’s bag, she rested an arm on the white linen of the bed and she watched Bayley pensively before speaking. She noticed that Bayley did not turn to face her, some of the covers bunched around her chest and waist, so Becky saw Bayley’s nude back.

“Mornin’, Charlie is making avocado toast and eggs for us. How do you like your eggs?” the Irish woman asked excitedly. She knew the prospect of avocado toast with eggs would rouse anyone out of bed.

“I’m not hungry.”

Becky frowned, concerned at her friend’s flat tone and unemotional body language. She leaned closer to Bayley’s figure, and carefully placed a gentle hand on Bayley’s ankle.

“You alright?”

“Yeah… I just want to sleep a little more.” Flat, groggy.

Her face remained turned away from Becky, her body was still and unmoving.

Becky patted her ankle and rose to her feet from the bench. She checked her watch for the time. Becky had to attend Monday Night Raw at the WWE Performance Center later that evening so she was keeping a close eye on the time. As the Raw Women’s Champion, she was obligated to appear regardless of whether she had a match or not.

“It’s 11:00AM. Poor lass, sounds like the liquor got ya. Feel free to help yourself to anythin’ in the kitchen when you’re hungry,” she said, with a final pat on Bayley’s ankle before she left.

In the kitchen, Becky beamed when she saw Charlotte mashing avocados. Becky snuck her hands around her wife’s waist, and pressed her chest against her back. She brushed blonde hair away from her target, and planted a quick kiss on the back of her wife’s neck.

“My Queen.” Sweetly.

“My… Man.” Coyly.

They both chuckled at these sentiments. Charlotte set the bowl and utensils down, picked up a kitchen towel and faced Becky. Becky reluctantly released her hips.

“So how does our Bay like her eggs?” asked Charlotte, a smile playing on her lips.

Becky grinned at her expression. Even in a casual discussion of food, her wife was much too alluring. She wondered if Charlotte would object to sex in the kitchen after brunch. But Becky’s mind returned to the present situation, and a look of focus stiffened her facial muscles a bit.

“Poor girl didn’t want anythin’, just wanted to sleep. Probably too hungover,” Becky stated with a shrug, and then she reached beside her for a cup to fill with water.

Charlotte tilted her head, musing. Charlotte did not drink alcohol last night at the party and remembered the events pretty clearly. Becky drank the most out of everyone on the bus and she still managed to wake up early to put on an award-winning performance in bed and in the shower.

“That’s not the way to deal with a hangover,” Charlotte finally said with a sigh.

Becky sipped the water, observing Charlotte’s change in expression. “So what happened last night?”

“Sasha kicked everyone out of the party bus. And something must have happened later, since she kicked Bayley out in the middle of the night. Who knows with those two…”

“I don’t remember much, I had too much damn tequila. I do remember that you looked absolutely beautiful, and Bayley may have put her face in a stripper’s breasts,” laughed Becky, taking another sip of water.

Later that afternoon, Charlotte was outside gardening and stopped to join Becky who was returning from a grocery run. Becky’s white Audi sedan pulled into their driveway, silver rims sparkling in the bright Florida sunshine. The car halted next to Charlotte’s red Mercedes-Benz convertible. They both loaded their arms with paper bags of groceries and headed inside. Charlotte appreciated the rush of cold air as they entered their home, she enjoyed a reprieve from the hot sun.

“Bayley!” called Becky, setting down the bags on the kitchen counter. She texted Bayley while she was out shopping, asking if she needed anything from the grocery store and never received a return text.

No answer.

Becky and Charlotte exchanged curious looks. Their eyes connected and they seemed to communicate mirrored concern. Without speech, they both walked upstairs to the guest room. Charlotte knocked politely on the closed door before speaking.

“Bayley? It’s Charlotte and Becky.”

No answer.

They looked at each other again. Becky huffed a bit and shook her head, then she placed a hand on her wife’s arm, wordlessly motioning her to step aside. With a clear path, Becky then opened the door brusquely. She noted that Bayley was laying in the same exact spot as before, again with her exposed back to the doorway.

“What…?” murmured Bayley without turning to them.

Charlotte carefully approached but Becky rushed past her. Becky crouched down in front of the immobile woman next to her bedside. She saw the perspiration on Bayley’s face and the edematous, red eyes. Bayley’s eyes widened at Becky’s closeness, and she quickly pulled the covers over her face. Becky tugged lightly on the covers, trying not to be intrusive but hoping for an answer to this behavior.

“So what’s up, Bay?” Becky asked pointedly, her fingers clasping on the white sheets that Bayley used as a shield.

Bayley released her grip on the covers and then swiftly put her pillow over her head, covering her face. Becky spotted wet stains on the pillow, she glanced up at Charlotte who had worry etched on her face.

“It’s 4PM, Bayley,” Charlotte stated, matter of factly.

“I’m trying to sleep,” Bayley’s muffled voice came from underneath the pillow.

“Girl, you’ve been sleepin’ all day. Let’s get you up and fix you something to eat,” Becky said, desperately searching for words to appeal to her friend.

“No. Leave me alone.”

After these words, silence polluted the room and it weighed heavily in the air, altering time and temperature. Cool central air pulsated through their home but this room seemed unusually warm. The silence, the sadness, it was all too stifling here. Becky was not sure how much longer she crouched at Bayley’s bedside, staring helplessly at the drops of tears on the pillow that the Role Model used to protect her face from her friends. She wondered if hours had crept by, and she noted Charlotte in the corner of her eye, standing like a statue at the doorway.

Finally, Charlotte spoke to Becky as they shut the door after leaving the room. “Let’s call Sasha.”

* * *

Sasha Banks slowly sauntered up the stairs with Becky trailing behind her. Sasha’s heart pounded in her chest, and this was a similar sensation she had during the ride over to Becky and Charlotte’s house. She worried about what she would discover in their guest room.

“I dunno, Sash, she’s been layin’ in there all day. With a pillow over her face, with no shirt on,” explained Becky hurriedly as they approached the guest room door.

“Is she wearing pants at least?” Sasha whispered.

Becky gave her a bewildered look. “I didn’t check, Sash!”

Sasha sighed, tapped the door a few times with her fingertips and then opened it without waiting for an answer.

Bayley stirred in bed, shifted the pillow slightly to ensure it was covering her face. What is it now?, she thought glumly. She did not look to see if it was Charlotte or Becky, or both again. This aura felt different though, someone new entered the room. The cadence of the footsteps was familiar. This aura moved so effortlessly in the room, quick and graceful. Bayley’s muscles tensed at first and then relaxed, as she felt familiar fingertips and nails lightly rub her spine.

“Bay…” Sasha’s voice was soft and dripped with honey. She continued to caress Bayley’s back very lightly with her fingers, she traced her best friend’s broad muscles and tan lines.

“Becky and Charlotte are worried about you. They told me you haven’t gotten out of bed,” continued Sasha gently.

Bayley relished Sasha’s touch, her back arched a bit and her breathing became heavy. She said nothing though, instead wanting to enjoy this attention after Sasha had ignored her for umpteen hours.

Sasha’s lips pursed together and she gazed over at Becky for support, wondering how to engage with Bayley’s catatonia. Becky stood impatiently with her arms folded, leaning against the doorway. She locked eyes with Sasha and then nodded fervently, urging Sasha to proceed with whatever magic remained up her sleeve.

“Could you help me with something, Bay?” Sasha asked, her fingertips still on her best friend’s tanned skin.

“What is it, Sash?” murmured Bayley. Finally.

Sasha paused and her hand dropped back to her side. “I packed your stuff in boxes, could you help me get them out of the car?”

Bayley acquiesced. She shifted her arm and threw the pillow shielding her face to the floor. At these sudden movements, Sasha stood up and crossed her arms as well nearby Becky. Bayley gathered the white bed sheets to cover her chest and unexpectedly jumped to her feet, stomped over to the two women and confronted Sasha directly. Sasha’s confusion softened to a tender expression when she took in her best friend’s features: the puffy, red eyes and untidy black hair.

“What the hell! What is going on with you?” Bayley exclaimed, steadying her voice to keep from shouting but failing.

“I could ask the same thing of you,” Sasha said calmly. Her hands twitched slightly and she resisted the urge to reach up and smooth down Bayley’s black hair as she had done so many times in the past.

Becky cleared her throat. “I’ll leave and give you two some privacy.”

“No! Stay!” The words came from both Sasha and Bayley but the tones were different. They did not look at Becky but continued to fixate on each other. Bayley’s voice was pleading, urgent; as if Becky may be her only ally in this room. Sasha’s tone was emotive, lingering into the boundaries of indignation; as if what Becky suggested was ludicrous and she had every right to hear what would be said here.

“Bayley, I need you to move out of the condo. I don’t think our lives should be so intertwined,” explained Sasha, and she was the first to break eye contact in this stand-off. She looked away, preoccupying her gaze with a nearby dresser.

“Why?! This makes no sense, Sash!” argued Bayley, she stepped closer to her best friend.

Sasha took a step back, and almost bumped into Becky when Bayley reached out to touch her. She sighed in an irritated fashion. “How many times do I have to explain this to you? We’ve already talked about this. I really can’t deal with you anymore.”

Sasha’s voice had increased an octave, and Bayley protested loudly while taking more steps forward. Becky sensed that this interaction could become more negative; the Man was activated and she abruptly stepped between the two women as the shouting match ensued. No one was listening, yelling voices intermingled in the small room. Suddenly, another voice cut the chatter.

“Ladies, we’re going to have a nice meal downstairs before we all head off to Raw. Bayley get cleaned up and meet us at the dining table,” commanded Charlotte at the doorway.

“Whatever, I’m outta here,” Sasha said shortly as she put a hand in Bayley’s face. She turned to leave but Charlotte blocked her path.

“Sasha,” Charlotte gritted her teeth initially but then softened, “Please join us for dinner.”

* * *

Bayley was the last to arrive at the table. She trudged towards the other women, and sat across from Sasha, Becky was seated on her left side while Charlotte was still preparing things in the kitchen. Sasha’s mouth twitched into a half smile when she saw Bayley’s sleeveless T-shirt and looked away, hoping that no one saw her expression. Bayley wore a gray and black mineral wash shirt with Sasha’s figure on the front, it was unfortunately the only clean shirt she had in her bag. Charlotte set plates of baked chicken, mixed greens and dinner rolls in front of everyone after Bayley’s arrival.

Becky grinned at her food and hungrily scooped up a dinner roll, she took a large bite and then frowned as she chewed. She watched the other women: Sasha’s arms were folded and she was looking at her nails, while Bayley stared dejectedly at her plate.

“My wife prepared this nice dinner for ya, so ya might as well eat,” Becky said, picking up her utensils to cut the chicken on her plate.

“Sasha, could I stay in the tour bus with you, at least?” asked Bayley in a small voice.

Sasha scoffed, picked up her fork and stabbed a tomato slice. “Absolutely not! And we’re not talking about this anymore here. Why would you bring this drama to Charlotte and Becky’s dinner table?”

“Oh, don’t worry. Please. Continue. We’d all like to hear what’s going on, actually,” said Charlotte with a sparkling smile, she sat nearby Sasha at the table. Becky started to ravenously eat her food, in case a fight broke out that would cause them to abandon dinner.

“You all know that I hate talking about my feelings,” Sasha stated carefully with a forced calm, not meeting anyone’s eyes, “But Bayley, I need a break from this friendship. The strippers, the groupies, the partying, I’ve had enough. And don’t get me started on our last tag matches… and my recent matches with your meddling.”

“But I thought that’s what you wanted. You’re THE Boss, remember? I thought you wanted the parties and the women around, because you certainly didn’t seem happy to be hanging out with me when I was giving out hugs and watching Netflix with you late at night,” retorted Bayley in a sorrowful tone mingled with exasperation.

Sasha laughed coldly, and her brows furrowed into disappointment. “Are you serious? Those hoes just see you as a walking come-up, just a bank deposit. They’ll sell you to TMZ, and that’s probably why TMZ followed us in LA a couple months ago!”

“I think I recall that headline, yeah? Bayley and The Boss window shopping at Gucci,” interrupted Becky through mouthfuls of food. Charlotte snorted at her wife’s interjection. Sasha turned to Charlotte, glowering.

“See? I knew this was a bad idea. I don’t have time for this bullshit. I have to go,” Sasha pushed her plate away and stood up.

“You’re overreacting, Sash. You’re being real extra right now! We’re a team, we’re in this together. We’re the Smackdown Women’s Champion together, remember?” begged Bayley, who also rose to her feet abruptly.

Sasha turned away from her friends, facing the direction of the front door. She paused in her movements, and she answered more to the wall than she did to Bayley.

“It’s sad… that belt is all you think about, it’s all you talk about. What will you have left when that’s gone too?”

Although the early evening arrived, the summer sun continued its omnipresence. The heat enveloped the women as they stood silently around Sasha’s black Cadillac Escalade. Becky and Charlotte hoisted up several large cardboard boxes. One box remained in the trunk, and Sasha glanced over at Bayley. Bayley held up her right hand protecting her red eyes from the bright sun, her dark wrist / forearm tattoo in full display. Due to Bayley’s inaction, Sasha picked up this box and pushed it firmly into Bayley’s arms.

“Sasha, please…” Bayley whispered, her voice quivering. She could not meet Sasha’s deep brown eyes though, and instead chose to look down shamefully at the gravel. She would not cry again, not here, not in front of Sasha. Sasha did not deserve her tears, she attempted to convince herself. Even though she cried most of last night and most of today privately, she had cried enough tears to cause a flood warning on Becky and Charlotte’s street.

“I’m not going to Raw tonight, but I’ll see you guys another time,” Sasha remarked as she turned away quickly and entered the driver side of the SUV. She did not wait for their goodbyes.

They stood together, boxes in their arms as they watched the SUV drive down the street, growing smaller with distance. Charlotte started to walk back inside. Becky turned to Bayley, her lips contorted in sympathy.

“Lass, I know you were trying to be a thug for her, but that’s not what she meant when she wanted you to open up more,” the Irish woman advised Bayley.

Later that evening, Bayley was lying face down among pillows in Becky and Charlotte’s bed. Their bed was clean and comfortable, unlike the guest room that now had pillows and bed sheets strewn across the floor. The two women had left to attend Raw earlier and Bayley stayed behind at their home. She perseverated all evening about the events of the past 24 hours: how she successfully defended her championship, how she attempted to entertain her friends with a “Bayley-bration” on the bus, how Sasha said she needed a break from their friendship. Sasha. Who may never be standing in her corner again.

_Sasha._

_Sasha._

Bayley’s eyes snapped open to the sound of a car arriving outside. Then Charlotte and Becky’s voices filled the interior of the home, Becky was shouting happily about something. Bayley sunk deeper into the pillows, bracing herself for social interaction. She heard Becky calling her name, and she did not answer. The bedroom door opened slowly.

“Ah, there ya are. We could just, uh, stay in the guest room if ya want our room tonight,” Becky’s voice said, as gentle and as polite as the Man could accommodate.

“Could you… could you both stay in here… with me?” Bayley asked weakly.

Becky approached the bed, and then sat down next to Bayley’s prone body. She rested a calloused hand on her friend’s shoulder. Soon, Charlotte joined them, clad in a silk, pink robe. She sat down on the other side of Bayley, her green eyes connected with Becky’s soft brown eyes. As a married couple, at times they communicated wordlessly, as if they shared the same mind. The room was dark, except for the twinkle of the street lights pouring in from the open window. They shared the same unease in this darkness.

Suddenly, Bayley heaved heavy breaths, her body racked convulsively as she sobbed, clenching the pillows around her with tight fists. Her cries echoed, agonizingly throughout the room. From their seated positions, Becky and Charlotte both lied down in the bed, flanking Bayley. They clutched her shivering body. Bayley shifted herself towards Becky, throwing an arm around her waist, as she sobbed into the Man’s leather jacket. Becky hugged Bayley’s neck, murmuring soothing noises in her ear. Charlotte delicately spread her fingers into the back of Bayley’s dark hair, massaging her scalp.

“She’ll come ‘round, don’t you worry,” Becky whispered kindly.

_See, when I get the strength to leave / You always tell me that you need me_

_And I'm weak 'cause I believe you / And I'm mad because I love you_

_So I stop and think that maybe / You can learn to appreciate me_

_Then it all remains the same / That you ain't never gonna change_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made the tone a bit more informal in the beginning of the chapter to display the distortion of Bayley’s thoughts, which I think is more congruent with her heel character.  
> Also, Becky and Sasha did quote the rapper, Drake ;)  
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Trust Issues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't get enough Baysha content today, here's more. Happy 5 Year Anniversary to the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever, Bayley vs Sasha Banks at NXT TakeOver Brooklyn.

The song’s simple drum pattern, and slow, deep bass seemed to lull time, even in the already slow moving car. The beat was heavy, morose, and easy to get lost in. The black Cadillac slowed down at the stop sign, but it felt like the car had already been trapped in time due to the atmosphere of the music. The early evening Florida sun peeked out over the horizon. Sasha’s hand mechanically found the buttons to roll down the rest of the windows in the car, and then her other hand found the knob to turn the music up. She needed an escape.

“ _All I care about is money and the city that I’m from…_ ” sang Drake, his voice soft in the car speakers, overpowered by the echoing, forlorn bass.

She looked up at the rearview mirror, and peered back at the scene she deserted. Charlotte turned to walk back inside her house, while Becky and Bayley stood with boxes in their hands and watching Sasha drive away. The knot in her stomach continued to twist as she watched Bayley’s slumped figure. She looked back at the road and settled her shoulders into the plush driver’s seat, allowing the music to overcome her again as if it lingered like smoke in the car - forcing the environment to slow down.

She did not act on a whim. Sasha Banks would never make foolish, rash decisions. She was methodical. She was clever. She was resourceful. She was a good friend. She was a good tag team partner. And she tried her best. And she knew when enough was finally enough.

Earlier in the morning, around 4:00 AM early, she left her tour bus parked in the Performance Center back parking lot and ventured home, to the central air and granite counter tops of her luxury condo. She barely slept last night, and even though dealing with Bayley was always so exhausting, fatigue did not settle her into a night of rest. She still rose from the tour bus bed before the sun greeted the land, determined. Her make-up was still on point, her long blue hair was straight, lustrous and her outfit of a white crop top with gold trim, light blue jeans and gold high heels turned the heads of everyone who saw her. At home, she packed Bayley’s belongings into boxes, at first carefully and thoughtfully. But after a few hours, and her frustration building with the reason why she had to do this in the first place, she haphazardly threw things together to finish the task of severing from the champion.

Sasha could not understand how Bayley allowed her messy antics to destroy the relationship they built. When Bayley won the Smackdown Women’s Championship from Charlotte around seven months ago, she stopped listening to reason. As time went on, it was no longer Bayley and Sasha Banks - it deteriorated to: Bayley… oh, and there’s Sasha Banks too. Every win had to be punctuated by parties, alcohol, strippers. Sasha did not think it was bad to partake in celebration but Bayley would indulge to the extreme. And Sasha felt lost in these “Bayleybrations,” as if she was just another groupie hanging out with the champion. The fans on social media appeared happy to fawn all over their Role Model, and Sasha was proud that her best friend was a champion and she gave Bayley all the adoration her heart contained. But in return, Bayley never gave her any attention at all until she needed something.

The shady events of WrestleMania would sometimes creep into her mind, like an acid that burned her every time it appeared. Lacey Evans knocked her out and Bayley did not break up the pin. But when her champion needed her, she rescued her and rescued the championship. She displayed true loyalty that night to her best friend, they wore matching ring gear as well to show solidarity in the face of the opponents. But she could tell, until at least when she wrapped the blue belt around Bayley’s waist to signify her victory at the Show of Shows, that Bayley did not trust her. Instead of a public thank you, Sasha received, what she perceived while standing in the shadows of the ramp, a merciless proclamation from the Role Model that _even she could not touch Bayley._ Bayley was only loyal to herself that night, her actions proved this and even her attire was questionable: the usual stars on her tights were broken, a black X was placed over a yellow smiley face, the tassels that commonly adorned her clothing was ripped into black and gold strips, and “I’m a Hugger” was occluded by the new logo of “BAYLEY” on her top. After everything that occurred in the past year, Bayley needed to undergo a transformation and Sasha encouraged this but she did not think she would be influencing her friend to become an egotistical monster.

At Money in the Bank, during the Smackdown Women’s Championship match, Sasha rushed into the ring after Tamina hit Bayley with her finishing move. The referee warned Sasha not to interfere, and Sasha gazed determinedly at Tamina; she hoped with all her might to stall and give Bayley time to recover. Tamina menacingly followed her and proceeded to chase her outside of the ring, but Sasha was able to lure her back to Bayley who rolled up Tamina into a pin to retain the title. At the end, as Bayley’s music boomed through the speaker system and the commentators expressed their disdain for her involvement, Sasha grabbed the blue belt away from the referee and reverently placed it over her champion’s chest. Bayley smiled at her, her mouth open in half amazement and half jubilance. Sasha turned back to Tamina’s conquered figure, brushing her blue hair from her shoulders, and she could also feel Bayley’s eyes linger on her breasts.

Sasha smiled adoringly back at her champion, who was laying, slightly draped over the bottom rope as she looked up at Sasha. They exchanged some words as they glanced again at Tamina, Sasha felt Bayley touch her arm and then rest her hand briefly on Sasha’s thigh which was clad in tight, red leather. Sasha and Bayley gazed at each other, grinning, and there was a certain possessiveness in their eyes, a hunger they had for each other that was satiated by gold. The criticism from the commentary table, the leering cameras, the opponent who lay defeated in the ring, her broken Gucci heel… none of them mattered when Sasha looked into her Bayley’s eyes.And she wore the red leather body suit and black high heel boots for Bayley only.

* * *

When they returned to the bus after the match, they were unfortunately accosted by several people. After they removed the interviewer, Kayla Braxton, and her camera crew away from the premises of the tour bus, Bayley drank a few more sips from her water bottle before laughing loudly. She set the bottle down on a table, and threw her blue belt and sleeveless ring jacket on a couch. She turned to Sasha and clutched her face softly.

“Baby, you were amazing,” said Bayley, as she pressed her forehead against Sasha’s, still cupping her face.

Sasha smiled, wrapping her arms around Bayley’s hips. “You were amazing, champ. You did the heavy lifting. I was just there to support you.”

Bayley pulled away a bit so she could look deeply into Sasha’s eyes. Sasha noted the possessive nature again in Bayley’s soft brown eyes, and possibly a hint of lust. But whenever Sasha had these notions, she would swiftly expel them from her mind because that was a great assumption to make when this was purely a friendship.

“You always do more than just support me, you know that,” Bayley said kindly, but then her voice shifted into a crazed glee, “And now, it’s time for us to celebrate!”

“Should we invite some people over to brag about how great you are?” joked Sasha, her hands still on Bayley’s hips.

Bayley giggled. “Let’s do it, Boss. Let’s break out the drinks. And let’s get some strippers over here too!”

Sasha’s hands abruptly dropped to her sides, she frowned slightly up at her champion. “Bayley… no. Having drinks with friends would be fine but no strippers. I don’t want them in the bus.”

“Why not? C’mon dude, it’ll be fun! We always have fun at the strip club!” Bayley protested with a lighthearted smile. This was the same smile that always melted the chips of ice that, at times, could encase Sasha’s heart.

Sasha held her ground. “Do we? I mean, it’s OK to check it out once. But it’s turning into something you’re doing a lot…”

“A lot? Nah, dude. I’m just having fun. We don’t have to be so serious,” said Bayley, reaching out to grasp Sasha’s hand, “And maybe you think I’m at the club all the time because I’m always winning and always celebrating!”

Sasha smiled and laughed a little at Bayley’s bravado. This was such a drastic change from the wholesome Hugger who would prefer quiet nights alone with her, either at the gym or cuddling under blankets while binge-watching various Netflix series or old wrestling matches. Again, the feeling that she was to blame for the creation of the Role Model made her uneasy. She struggled, internally, with simultaneously loving and hating the new Bayley.

* * *

The SUV silently drifted to a halt at her parking spot for the condo. Sasha turned down the music and rolled up the windows. She thought briefly of how silly Bayley could be in the car, how she would sing or rap to whatever the speakers were playing. Sasha shook her head slightly at this thought and opened the car door. These thoughts were hard to ignore though, because it did not matter how preoccupied she was or what she was doing, there were so many simple, every day reminders of her best friend. And now, she would return home, alone, and she knew that she would spend most of tonight thinking about Bayley.


	4. Party Foul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters 3 and 4 are for the Krew, sort of.
> 
> This is a Sasha POV flashback chapter.

_**Flashback, two weeks ago…**_

The crowd was thick with drunk wrestlers. Sasha had one mixed drink so far and her awareness was still quite normal. She danced in a tight circle with Becky, Charlotte, and Bayley. She held Charlotte’s hand playfully as they danced together while Becky buzzed and hopped around them with energetic dance moves. Bayley also attempted to enter this fold, but Sasha strategically blocked her with Charlotte and Becky. Sasha was dancing with Bayley earlier in the night but decided it was better to dance in a group after a very drunk Bayley was gyrating and grinding against her body from behind. Bayley swayed a bit with a cup in her hand as she attempted to coordinate movements with Becky, drops of her beer splashed to the floor, and Sasha honestly lost count of how many drinks Bayley consumed tonight.

“Oy! Why don’t you take that to the bar?” Becky yelled at Bayley over the frenetic techno-pop, eyeing the spilled alcohol.

“What?!” shouted Bayley, and she staggered forward, managing to bump into Sasha. More of the drink dripped to the floor as Sasha dodged the liquid.

“Shit!” screamed Bayley.

“Please, take that to the bar!” Charlotte said pointing over to the bar counter. Even with loud techno-pop overtaking the atmosphere, the sternness in Charlotte’s voice could not be mistaken.

Bayley shrugged at her and frowned, then finally turned to stagger to the bar. Sasha watched her to ensure that she reached the counter safely. Someone lightly tapped Sasha’s shoulder and she turned around. Alexa Bliss and her girlfriend, Nikki Cross, stood there, beaming at her. Alexa’s long, platinum blonde hair blended with pink hues at the ends of her hair, and these colors seemed even brighter juxtaposed with her black, sleeveless top and black pants. Nikki instead had dark brown hair, and she wore a denim vest with purple pants.

“May we have this dance?” Alexa asked, leaning seductively into Sasha’s ear so she did not have to shout at her.

Sasha nodded and grinned, motioning the two women to join her circle with Becky and Charlotte. Alexa and Nikki sandwiched Sasha in between them, dancing closely with her while giggling. Sasha did not often have positive interactions with these two but alcohol likely played a role in this intimate encounter. Alexa was in front of her and wrapped her arms around Sasha’s neck, and suddenly Sasha heard a yell close to her ear that she knew was not from Alexa or Nikki.

“Hey dude, back off!” Bayley shouted at Alexa, grabbing at her wrist.

Alexa stepped back while Nikki stepped towards Bayley, their faces dangerously close as they had a heated exchange that Sasha could not fully hear over the music. Becky Lynch, as Sasha expected of The Man, involved herself as well in the mess and acted as a buffer in front of Bayley to protect her from the other women. Becky did not appear angry but her jaw was set in a serious fashion as she spoke to Nikki. Nikki and Alexa seemed more appeased by Becky, or maybe more afraid, than they were of Bayley and they turned away to mingle with another crowd.

Bayley hurried over to Sasha, embracing her tightly. Sasha felt as if she was supporting some of Bayley’s weight because the taller woman leaned into her. The alcohol was heavy in Bayley’s breath as she spoke to her.

“Boss, where those midgets bothering you?” she asked with a grin.

“No, we were just dancing. You’re not my bodyguard,” Sasha said, pulling up her arms to break Bayley’s embrace.

“Mamacita, I want to slow dance with you!” Bayley slurred these words as she swayed, her fingers creeping down the back of Sasha’s dress. Her body shifted into an awkward slow dance with Sasha that was not in rhythm with the pounding club music. Although Bayley had a strong grip, Sasha pulled away completely, irritated. Bayley stared at her with confusion.

Becky and Charlotte danced closer to the two and then started to dance in between them. Charlotte resumed her dancing with Sasha like before, while Becky turned to Bayley. Becky patted the dark-haired woman’s face lightly with a bemused look.

“I think that’s a no from the Boss, lass,” Becky laughed in Bayley’s ear.

Bayley grabbed Becky’s hands and gave her an exaggerated frown. “Will you slow dance with me then?”

“Ah, why the fuck not?” proclaimed Becky, and she swung Bayley’s arms side to side. Becky also had many drinks tonight and her inhibitions were low, which was apparent as she and Bayley had difficulty coordinating graceful movements.

Charlotte and Sasha erupted in laughter as they watched the two pretend to ballroom dance on the nightclub floor.

* * *

“How do you feel like things are going on Smackdown? With you and Bayley running things there?”

“We’ve had some… recent problems as a tag team,” Sasha said cryptically to Charlotte while they sat at the bar. Sasha had a vodka soda in hand but did not drink it, she tilted the glass side to side while watching the bubbly liquid swirl around.

Charlotte watched Sasha’s drink, as she sipped her own Bourbon slowly. She thought carefully before responding to her friend. “Every team has their ups and downs. Overall, you and Bayley have done well together in the past year.”

“Yeah, Bay’s still the champion,” Sasha said mechanically, not meeting Charlotte’s eyes, she continued to stare at her drink.

“With your help, right?” Charlotte remarked slyly before taking another sip of Bourbon.

This brought a smile to Sasha’s lips and she gazed appreciatively at Charlotte. “What are friends for, Char? So are you and Becky thinking of challenging for the tag team titles soon?”

The club outing they attended was hosted by the new Women’s Tag Team Champions, Naomi and Bianca Belair, who won the titles after defeating Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss last night. The company had rented out the entire club for the wrestlers to celebrate the new champions.

Charlotte laughed. “It would be nice to be double champions. The Man would get to be Becky 2 Belts once again. We’ll see, anything’s possible. What about you and Bay?”

Becky was the current Raw Women’s Champion and Charlotte was the NXT Women’s Champion. Sasha did feel out of place at times, as she was the only Horsewoman who did not have a championship belt.

“Could you imagine Bayley as a double champion? She would be insufferable,” stated Sasha as she finally sipped the bubbly mixed drink, and Charlotte giggled again.

Sasha looked past Charlotte as she noticed a focused Bianca Belair sauntering towards them. She wore all red, and her crop top revealed an abdomen forged from steel. Bianca’s brows were furrowed in annoyance as she halted beside Sasha.

“Sasha, come collect your girl,” Bianca stated simply.

Charlotte and Sasha gazed at her, and then exchanged bewildered looks with each other.

“What?” Sasha asked Bianca.

Bianca sighed and shook her head, then proceeded to remove her hoop earrings. “C’mon, both of you. Your girl is acting up.”

Sasha and Charlotte followed Bianca to the other side of the club, and they arrived at a wild scene. Nikki was standing on a table, shouting and waving her fists in the air, with Alexa standing by the table and keeping it steady as it wobbled around from Nikki’s fury. The Uso brothers and Naomi stood in front of Bayley, who was also screaming and pointing a finger at Nikki and Alexa. Becky was behind Bayley and tugging her other arm.

“If it wasn’t for all these sheep standing around here, you’d be done for, Nikki!” bellowed Bayley, her face red with rage and a vein was popping out by her temple.

“Girl, cool down!” Naomi said, resting her hands on Bayley’s shoulders. Becky feigned a serious demeanor but laughed at Bayley’s sheep comment, she let go of the irate woman briefly in her fit of laughter. In that moment, Bayley was able to swiftly dodge Naomi and Becky but she was stopped by Jimmy and Jey Uso.

“It ain’t worth it, champ!” Jimmy said, throwing his arms up to block Bayley.

In a move that surprised just about everyone, Bayley side-stepped Jimmy, and she pulled her white t-shirt over her head and threw it at Nikki. The shirt connected harshly with Nikki’s face, and in an angry bluster, Nikki hopped off the table. Clad only in a black bra and tight black jeans, Bayley’s chiseled abdominal muscles pulsed as she continued to yell profanity.Jey and Alexa held onto Nikki who clawed around them, attempting to break free. But unfortunately in this confusion, Bayley charged forward. Bayley was knocked off course by Sasha, who held her best friend in a desperate hug before Bayley’s outstretched hands could reach a contained Nikki.

“Bay! Stop this now,” Sasha hissed warningly in Bayley’s ear.

“You midgets should thank my sexy Mamacita right here for saving your sorry asses!” Bayley shouted while laughing drunkenly, her voice cracking a bit from dehydration. She held onto Sasha, and Sasha was able to move her backwards, further away from Nikki and Alexa.

“You’re a mess, Shepherd! Sasha, you deserve better,” Alexa sneered haughtily, as she released Nikki who appeared more calm at the arrival of Sasha, Charlotte, Bianca and also a growing crowd of other wrestlers who watched the commotion. The music volume was turned down at the request of security who were preparing to approach the crowd.

“Let’s get outta here before Bayley gets into trouble,” Charlotte whispered to Sasha as she noticed the security personnel.

* * *

Later that evening, Sasha was in the bathroom with face cleansing materials arranged on the counter, since she was preparing to remove her make-up. She stared at the mirror and sighed, _what a terrible way to end the night_.

There was a slight tapping on the open bathroom door, and her gaze fell on Bayley at the doorway. Bayley, still shirtless and only wearing a bra and jeans, grinned and whistled.

“Dude… Fuck. How much did I drink?” she asked, and then suddenly laughed at her own question.

Sasha wanted to be angry but Bayley’s crazed laughter inadvertently caused a chuckle from her own lips. “I lost count.”

Bayley stumbled towards her, and seemed to crash into her. Sasha faced the mirror while Bayley held her from behind, they supported each other to keep from falling. Bayley giggled in her ear and placed her right hand over Sasha’s. Sasha shut her eyes and she focused on Bayley’s heavy breathing on her ear and neck, her warm body against her back. She locked her fingers into Bayley’s. Bayley rested her chin in the crook of Sasha’s neck.

Bayley stared into the mirror and they held each other like this for a while. “I’m sorry.”

Sasha opened her eyes, and she saw Bayley’s solemn expression and tired red eyes in the mirror.

“What did they do to piss you off?” Sasha questioned carefully. She was not able to discuss this earlier with everyone because Bayley fell asleep in the car, and she hired a driver for the Cadillac, so airing out grievances in front of a stranger would be too embarrassing.

“They were grinding all over you!” said Bayley, suddenly emotive and her drunk stupor appeared to be diminishing.

“Like you were earlier in the night?” retorted Sasha, who accentuated her statement with a short, sharp laugh.

Bayley huffed in her ear and smirked. “What? I don’t remember that. You’re making that up.”

“So you didn’t like that Nikki and Alexa were dancing with me? That upset you?”

“They were disrespectful. They lost the tag titles so they were trying to stir the pot to ruin the party! They were telling me how sexy you looked when I was talking to Becky. Just ask the Man! Those sheep need to keep their eyes and their hands to themselves!” Bayley stated emphatically. And this was likely the same statement she said to Nikki and Alexa that set off the argument.

Sasha’s heart rate sped up when Bayley pressed her lips against Sasha’s exposed shoulder. It was not exactly a kiss, more like Bayley was resting her head there but the contact was nonetheless electric. Sasha did find Bayley’s brash display of chivalry endearing, even if it led to a chaotic fight in the club. She smiled a little at their reflection.

“So what’s it gonna be, Boss?” Bayley interrupted Sasha’s musing.

“Hm?” was all that escaped from Sasha’s lips as Bayley’s left hand started to massage her hip. Sasha stifled a pleasurable groan from Bayley’s touch, instead choosing to bite her lip and stare silently at her best friend’s alluring reflection in the mirror.

“I’m not playing anymore games tonight.”

These words drifted slowly from Bayley’s lips, as if the alcoholic stupor and fatigue were overpowering her again. She rocked side to side a bit as she held Sasha, gripping her waist and her hand.

Sasha repeated the words silently to herself before speaking. “What do you mean?”

“If you know… Let me know… I’ll be waiting in bed for you,” Bayley whispered in Sasha’s ear, still breathing heavily. She clenched Sasha’s hand, and her body pressed even closer against her friend. Sasha’s cream-colored dress clung tightly to her body, but not as tightly as Bayley’s body enveloping her.

“You’re drunk. I wouldn’t take advantage of you like that,” Sasha murmured softly in return.

Bayley chuckled as she released her. She winked and smirked again at Sasha before stumbling out of the bathroom. Sasha watched her exit, and confusion racked her brain. _Was Bayley asking her to…?_ She pressed a finger nervously to her temple, this was likely all just some joke. As the days passed by in the title reign, her best friend’s bravado grew, to the point that the aura of Bayley became larger than the wrestler herself. The alcohol-fueled nights, the women, the flirting, the taunting and threatening other competitors, these were becoming familiar to Sasha. Her best friend’s behavior was so absurd. And it scared her.

Maybe Bayley’s spiral was all her fault.

Maybe she corrupted her beloved Hugger, and this “Role Model” who was sloppy drunk and flirting with her tonight was her creation.

_Or maybe_ , Sasha thought, _Bayley just can’t handle fame in a respectable way. The gold got to her head._

And with that notion, Sasha concluded that Bayley’s fall from grace was no one’s fault but Bayley’s. She was intrigued though of Bayley’s words to her a few minutes ago. _Playing games? And why did she have to say it like that to Sasha?_ Sasha’s initial palpitations from Bayley’s touch and Bayley’s tanned, hard muscles pressed against her, were now a persistent flutter in her chest. She massaged her right temple again, frustrated that she could not shake this feeling causing her heart to beat harder than the drum patterns heard in the club tonight. Their attraction for each other was undeniable but it was purely platonic chemistry. Sasha held on to this conviction for many years because she would never destroy their friendship for a few benefits.

She turned and looked back at the face cleansing products on the bathroom counter. She could get ready for bed, in more ways than one.

* * *

Sasha slipped quietly into the bedroom, she had traded her cream-colored strapless dress for a bright red, short silk robe that exposed her toned legs. She discovered Bayley lying on her chest on their bed, gripping the pillow under her head. Sasha sat next to her friend and placed a hand on her head, stroking her dark hair. Bayley stirred a bit, moaning, then opened her eyes to gaze at Sasha’s outfit.

“Look at you. My mamacita is so sexy,” Bayley mumbled sleepily with a grin, then she crawled into Sasha’s lap and collapsed into sleep. Her head resting on Sasha’s thighs.

Sasha continued to stroke Bayley’s hair and massage her scalp, smiling with a sigh.

_Ding._

_Ding._

The notifications from Bayley’s nearby phone caught her attention. Sasha turned it over on the nightstand and saw two text messages without a preview. They were from “Crystal.”

_Who the fuck is Crystal?_

Sasha unlocked Bayley’s phone since she knew the password. She viewed the texts and her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

“How do I look, Papi?” read the first message.

It was followed with an image of a woman who had a deep, caramel skin tone, her nude breasts fully exposed and a thin, black thong was the only strip of fabric on her body. Sasha scrolled up to view the short exchange of other messages, which included silly pick up lines from Bayley and this woman repeatedly calling her “Papi.” Sasha, disgusted and furious, swiftly deleted this text message thread and blocked Crystal’s phone number in the phone. She then threw the phone on the hardwood floor.

Sasha looked down on the peacefully sleeping Bayley on her lap. Her heart twinged painfully, and the air in her lungs felt foreign, biting at her core like an icy frost. She wanted to wake her. She wanted to scream at her. She wanted to punch her. _But why?_

_Why?_

Bayley’s heart did not belong to Sasha Banks but that, at times, was a difficult truth for her to grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Check out "Empty Arena: The Big Blue Belt" since it's the prologue for this fic. I hope you and your family are safe and healthy.


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